OA 1 What is Intelligence? (you can provide examples for your answer) Are you intelligent? In what ways are you intelligent? According to the text, people often believe intelligence is a thing, when it actually is a concept (reification). What other concepts are there that we often mistaken as a concrete thing?

Intelligence

Psychologists believe that intelligence is a concept and not a thing. What is Intelligence? Intelligence (in all cultures) is the ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use our knowledge to adapt to new situations. In research studies, intelligence is whatever the intelligence test measures. This tends to be “school smarts.” Psychologists believe that intelligence is a concept and not a thing. OBJECTIVE 1| Discuss the difficulty of defining intelligence, and explain what it means to “reify intelligence.”.

Conceptual Difficulties When we think of intelligence as a trait (thing) we make an error called reification — viewing an abstract immaterial concept as if it were a concrete thing. Examples: Race and Nationality Is intelligence a single overall ability or is it several specific abilities? With modern neuroscience techniques, can we locate and measure intelligence within the brain?

Athleticism, like intelligence, is many things General Intelligence The idea that general intelligence (g) exists comes from the work of Charles Spearman (1863-1945) who helped develop the factor analysis approach in statistics. OBJECTIVE 2| Present arguments for and against considering intelligence as on general mental ability. Athleticism, like intelligence, is many things

General Intelligence Charles Spearman proposed that general intelligence (g) is linked to many clusters that can be analyzed by factor analysis. Factor analysis – statistical procedure that identifies clusters of related items. For example, people who do well on vocabulary examinations do well on paragraph comprehension examinations, a cluster that helps define verbal intelligence. Other factors include a spatial ability factor, or a reasoning ability factor.

Quick Discussion Do you agree with the idea that there is one general intelligence? Why or why not? Is athleticism a general thing?

Criticism for General Intelligence L. L. Thurstone, a critic of Spearman, analyzed his subjects NOT on a single scale of general intelligence, but on seven clusters of primary mental abilities, including: Word Fluency Verbal Comprehension Spatial Ability Perceptual Speed Numerical Ability Inductive Reasoning Memory Thurstone gave 56 different tests to people and identified 7 major clusters of abilities.

Criticism for Thurstone Later psychologists analyzed Thurstone’s data and found a weak relationship between these clusters, suggesting some evidence of a g factor. Those who excelled in one of Thurstone’s abilities were also strong with another. For example, those who excelled in word fluency were also strong with verbal comprehension

Early Theories of Intelligence Charles Spearman Believed intelligence is general People who are bright in one area are usually bright in other areas as well L. L. Thurstone Believed that intelligence is made up of seven distinct, independent abilities Spatial ability, perceptual speed, numerical ability, verbal meaning, memory, word fluency, and reasoning

Early Theories of Intelligence Raymond Cattell and John Horn Believed that g factor should be divided into two clusters of mental abilities Crystallized intelligence includes learned knowledge and skills such as vocabulary that increases with age. Retaining information Fluid intelligence pattern recognition, abstract reasoning, and problem-solving. Decreases with late adulthood. Problem solving and abstract thinking While education can increase crystallized intelligence, it was not thought to have any effect on fluid intelligence

Example of Fluid Knowledge What do these things have in common? Seven deadly sins Alms giving Fasting Prayers Praying and singing together Meditation Ahimsa (Non-harming) Dharma (Duty ) Asceticism Anatman (no-self)

Contemporary Intelligence Theories Howard Gardner (1983, 1999) supports Thurstone’s idea that intelligence comes in multiple forms. Gardner notes that brain damage may diminish one type of ability but not others. OBJECTIVE 3| Compare Gardner’s and Sternberg's theories of intelligence. People with savant syndrome excel in abilities unrelated to general intelligence.

Howard Gardner Gardner proposes eight types of intelligences and speculates about a ninth one — existential intelligence. Existential intelligence is the ability to think about the question of life, death and existence.

Contemporary Theories of Intelligence Robert Sternberg Triarchic theory of intelligence posits three types of intelligence not Gardner’s 8+ Analytical intelligence includes the ability to learn how to do things, solve problems, and acquire new knowledge. Intelligence that is assessed by intelligence tests. (e.g. book smarts) Creative intelligence includes the ability adjust to new tasks, use new concepts, and respond well in new situations Practical intelligence includes the ability to select contexts in which you can excel and solve practical problems. Intelligence that is required for everyday tasks (e.g. street smarts). Motivating people; promoting ones own career

OA 2 According to Howard Gardner’s theory, what kind of intelligence do you think you possess? How would Savant syndrome support Gardner’s theory? According to Sternberg’s Theory, what kind of intelligence do you think you possess?

Comparing the Multiple Intelligence Theories Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Sternberg’s Triarchic Intelligences Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence Logical-Mathematical Linguistic Analytical Spatial Musical Body-Kinesthetic Creative Interpersonal Practical Recognizing emotions in others and managing relationships Intrapersonal Knowing, managing, and motivating yourself with emotions

Theories: Comparison

OA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6HCXx8U6Ko https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkDMaJ-wZmQ 1. What similarities do these individuals with Savant syndrome have?